Hotel Chester is located on the corners of Jackson and Main Streets in the Old Main District of Starkville's bustling and historic downtown , where shops, restaurants and entertainment spots are all within walking distance of the Hotel. After going through extensive structural and cosmetic renovations in 1985 (known to many as the Ivy Guest House) it was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the early 1990s it became the State House Hotel, and was purchased in December 2000 by Suite Dreams America, Inc.

After undergoing extensive renovations of the first floor public areas and all 37 guest rooms and suites, the facility was reopened on August 16, 2003 under the original name given the property in 1925. Hotel Chester is really Starkville's oldest and newest hotel! All guest rooms are equipped with 25" color TV and high-speed internet access for busy travelers with no time to drudge through the usual telephone small band connection. Access to guest room floors is restricted to registered guests for security and privacy purposes via an elevator call system that requires an active room key.

Hotel Chester is shown near right in this 1947 photo.

Facilities within the Hotel include Big Daddy's Espresso, Etc., with entrances on Main Street and within the Hotel. There's also the Library Bar and Landmark Cafe, and banquet and meeting facilities that will accommodate up to 75 people for a stand-up reception or 40 people for a sit down dinner. Hotel Chester's mission is to provide a well-rounded line of hospitality products with culinary and service standards commensurate with the era in which this lovely lady was born.

Earliest records located for this property were dated 1833 and indicated a transfer of a large parcel including the hotel site from the U.S. Government to Daniel Green. Parcel 1 (Lot 11) was purchased by the Starkville Hotel Corporation on January 30, 1924 from Mrs. F. B. LLoyd and Mrs. D. B. Butler, et. al. According to long-time Starkville resident, Mr. Wilburn P. Sudduth, Age 91, Parcel 2 was at that time a vacant lot. The Rex Theater already occupied Parcel 1 (Lot 10), and Parcels 3 and 4 (Part of Lot 12) were residential and occupied by the building which is currently located on Lot 12.

The official City of Starkville Map, prepared in 1935 by A. L. Goodman, Sr., indicates ownership as follows: parcel 1- R. J. and A. L. Goodman; Parcel 2 - Starkville Hotel Corporation; Parcels 3 and 4 - E. R. Lloyd, Jr. The subsequent official City of Starkville Map prepared in 1951 shows no change in ownership for any of the parcels.

The Hotel Chester was constructed by the Starkville Hotel Corporation in 1925 on Parcel 2. According to the Starkville News dated December 12, 1924, the hotel then under construction was described as:

"The hotel, besides lobby, dining hall, grill room, ladies rest room, etc., will consist of 40 guest chambers, each supplied with steam heat, hot and cold water, telephone, private or connected baths, roomy closet, carpeted floors with rugs, writing desk, two comfortable chairs, dresser, and the very best iron beds and bedding that could be bought. The ladies rest room is to be fitted with reed furniture and will have all conveniences and appointments to make it as cozy and as comfortable as any home."

Hotel Chester just beyond the State Theater in 1960's.

The hotel was then leased to Mr. A. H. Alvis (who also operated the Heidelburg Hotel in Jackson, among others). The name of the hotel was changed to the Stark Hotel in 1940. The Stark Hotel remained the property of the Starkville Hotel Corporation until July 21, 1965 when it was sold to John Curtis Page. At this time, Mr. Page converted use of the structure to office space on the first floor and student apartments on the upper floors. The property was purchased by Citizen's Realty Company on December 3, 1969.

Use of the facility remained essentially the same until the property was purchased by Pryor Spencer Bailey, III on May 28, 1984. Mr. Bailey transferred the property to the Ivy Guest House, Ltd., on March 22, 1985. The hotel was renovated and modified during 1985 and 1986 to produce the facility which now occupies the site.

The Rex Theater Building existed on Parcel 1 prior to construction of the Hotel Chester in 1925. This building burned in 1929. In 1931, the Rex Theater was rebuilt on the corner of Main and Washington streets. A new theater building was constructed on parcel 1 in 1936 and opened in 1937 as the State Theater. This theater was purchased in 1966 by Alan T Riekhof. Mr. Riekhof operated the theater until 1973 or early 1974 when the facility was closed. Ownership changed to Mr. Riekhof's company, Starkville Theater in 1982, and was purchased and transferred to Ivy Guest House, Ltd. through Pryor Spencer Bailey, III on March 22, 1985. The hotel was renovated and modified during 1985 and 1986 to produce the facility which now occupies the site. The Ivy Guest House was purchased in 1993 by Yoste Properties, Inc., and the name was changed to the Statehouse Hotel which is currently the name of the facility which occupies the site.

Parcels 3 and 4 are both portions of Lot 12. Mr. Wilburn Sudduth was able to verify that the house which currently stands on Lot 12 predated construction of the hotel. It appears that the house was used as a residence until purchased in 1981 by R. W. Wise and renovated for use as an office building. The property was purchased by Mr. Bailey in 1985 and the area represented by parcels 3 and 4 were combined with the Ivy Guest House property. As noted above, the theater was purchased in 1993 by Yoste Properties, Inc., along with the Ivy Guest House.

The history of the areas adjacent to the property was documented through examination of aerial photographs (1955, 1969, 1985), municipal maps (1935, 1951), and interviews with long term residents of the community. Adjacent properties immediately north of the property have been residential in nature since prior to construction of the hotel in 1925. These lots remained residential until 1997 when they were purchased by the City of Starkville and an asphalt parking lot was constructed on this area. As previously described, the residence immediately north of the property was converted to office space in early 1981 or early 1982.

Hotel Chester to the far right.

Adjacent property to the south and west of the property includes a prominent block of Main Street. Activity in this area has been a mixture of retail establishments and office space for decades.

Property to the east of the property was residential in 1925 when the Hotel was constructed. This area remained residential until construction of a service station at the northeast corner of Main and Jackson Streets sometime between 1928 and 1930. With the exception of the service station, residences dominated the east side of North Jackson Street through 1969 as indicated by aerial photographs. The service station remained at this location until construction of the National Bank of Commerce in 1976-1977. Underground storage tanks associated with the service station were removed prior to construction of the bank building.

From 1993 to 1998, the property was operated as the Statehouse Hotel with an associated restaurant. The Hotel also included four one-room offices which front Main Street. All these offices were vacant during that time period. Parcel 1, the old State Theater building, was infrequently used for meetings. Other than the Statehouse restaurant and associated kitchen, no auxiliary services or facilities were located on-site. During 1998, laundry for the facility was processed in the projector room of the old theater.